


Enemy You Know

by SesshomaruFreak, thedrunkenwerewolf, Timewaster123456789



Series: Heirverse: Phase 4 (Heir/Decimated) [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Attempted Sexual Assault, Castration, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, It's like all implied but it's there, M/M, Physical Abuse, Self-Esteem Issues, The violence tag is for safety
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-25 21:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19753771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SesshomaruFreak/pseuds/SesshomaruFreak, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedrunkenwerewolf/pseuds/thedrunkenwerewolf, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Timewaster123456789/pseuds/Timewaster123456789
Summary: An altercation with Nnoitra highlights for Gin the opposing depravity and beauty that exist both in the hollow world and his lover.





	Enemy You Know

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing. TheDrunkenWerewolf owns the verse, Kubo everything else.
> 
> Opening takes place shortly after the meeting in Country Move, the rest takes place after Helios.
> 
> Inspired by Under the Crescent Moon by TheDrunkenWerewolf and Spunky0ne (Chapter 3 of What Happened Next by thefoxpack)

"You okay?" Sousuke asked, rolling over in bed and grasping his arm. Gin was grateful for this time when they were alone. He hadn't realized exactly how much his lover warmed for him until he'd seen him playing king for the Arrancars. Without the need for the 'respectable member of Soul Society' act to soften him— and Gin had found that bad enough— the man was fucking ice.

As confident as Gin had pretended to be at the meeting, Nnoitra really did freak him out and he couldn't even really discern why.

"Yeah..Nnoitra just…"

"I said he wouldn't be a problem," Sousuke replied easily but Gin thought he saw a bit of tension there.

"I know and it ain't like I don't trust ya," Sousuke winced and Gin thought perhaps the reassurance made it worse, "He just…still scares me," he finished sheepishly.

Sousuke embraced him, "You want me to kill him?"

"No," Gin replied, chuckling at how easily he offered. "I'm sure I can handle a creep or two," he said with a wink.

"Ah you wound me." Sousuke said putting a hand to his heart and Gin laughed, his fears forgotten.

* * *

_Weeks later_

* * *

Gin felt a chill creep down his spine as he moved along the corridor; though a fair amount of bluff on his part had been necessary at first, he was now quite confident, putting Grimmjow in his place had helped with that. He truly felt like he was Aizen's right hand in Las Noches now, even if he still missed Ran and Seireitei. This sensation was new and he stretched out his senses while not changing his stride, despite the sudden instinctive need to run.

Looking over his shoulder he saw three Fraccion move into the corridor behind him. He fought the urge to pick up the pace, they were just Fraccion after all, admittedly Szayel's but still this was not a time to show fear. He forced himself to look straight ahead, turned a corner and sensed Nnoitra's reiatsu nearby. _Well this feels uncomfortable_ , Gin thought and forced himself to move normally. Back down and they've already won.

Nnoitra stepped out of a side room and glared malevolently at him. Gin drew his sword and Nnoitra smiled.

"Scared?" Nnoitra asked, in a voice that sent another shiver down Gin's spine. He was instantly transported back to _that_ night, seeing the look in Not-Sousuke's eyes. Damnit he'd thought he'd finally gotten over that.

He willed his sword not to shake and smiled a devil's smile. "Ah could kill ya' for insubordination ya' know."

"But you won't," Nnoitra said, swaggering closer.

"Give me one reason?"

"You don't want Aizen-sama to know you fear me," Gin laughed at the misinterpretation, he didn't want Nnoitra to have confirmation.

"Hardly," he extended Shinsou and Nnoitra ...didn't move. What Gin had intended as a warning shot took Nnoitra through his coat as the espada closed on him and grabbed his sword hand to prevent him from withdrawing it. Nnoitra slammed him in the ribs with a set of spiked knuckles. Pain spread from the impact as Gin leaped back to get enough separation to retract Shinsou, winded but far from out of the fight. He staggered and saw a smirk spread across Nnoitra's face.

"Grimmy told me what you do Little Snake," Nnoitra said as he approached, waving an empty vial of antidote. Gin tried to move but fell to his knee as his vision blurred and nausea twisted his stomach. Nnoitra stomped on his already numbed hand then reached down and twisted it until his wrist cracked. A lance of pain shot up his arm even as he extended Shinsou. Nnoitra deftly blocked with his own sword and kicked him in the face. Nausea from pain and the poison combined and he puked.

"Now that's unattractive," Nnoitra complained as he kicked Shinsou away— Gin didn't even remember letting go of it—and pinned Gin to the wall by his throat.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he hissed silkily.

Kyouka flashed through the air and cut off the hand that Nnoitra wore the poison spikes on, then, to a semi-delirious Gin's shock, Aizen set into the Espada with his bare hands.

"How dare you touch him? Cowardly, useless, piece of shit!" Aizen roared. Gin saw his eyes flash yellow as he beat the stunned as Espada.

"Burn in hell!" He'd never seen Aizen so angry before. Aizen systematically cut all six of Nnoitra's arms from him and castrated him on the spot.

"You worthless, selfish monster!"

Nnoitra's screams hurt Gin's ears as Aizen turned to help him from the floor. Gin shivered at the wild look in his eyes. Aizen closed them and when he opened them again they were all too human.

"I won't let you be hurt again," he whispered and there was so much pain hiding in his voice that it almost brought Gin to tears.

"I know." he replied. Aizen helped Gin down the hallway.

"Where're we goin'?" Gin asked.

"The lab. You need an antidote." Sousuke replied all business.

Gin stopped and shook his head though it made the nausea worse, "He was in on it. Don' wan' him to know."

Aizen's expression would have made Death himself look friendly.

"Leave it. I'm already feelin' better. Nnoitra wanted me…alive," bile that had little to do with the poison rose in his throat.

Sousuke looked less than happy but obliged him and helped him to his apartment.

* * *

Gin awoke sometime later feeling much better and saw Sousuke sitting on the bed beside him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good as new," Gin lied, resisting the urge to moan as he sat up. Everything ached, his wrist was stiff though Sousuke had healed it and the motion made him queasy so he guessed the poison wasn't completely out of his system.

"You shouldn't say you're fine when you're not," Sousuke said. Gin gaped at him _what the?_ The sheer hypocrisy was mind blowing, and he was still trying to form a response when Sousuke glanced at him, his lips lifting in a ghost of a smirk.

"'Ey not fair. Ah can't be expected to play well when Ahm all sick," Gin said and tried to look as pathetic as possible.

Sousuke snorted but asked, "Need anything?"

"Nah unless ya' got something for nausea," Gin said though he knew they didn't.

Sousuke watched him with open concern and something that Gin's practiced eye thought looked a lot like fear.

"Something up?"

Sousuke hesitated, "Szayel saw the…error of his ways, he will not be a problem again."

Gin chuckled but was determined to get an answer even if he had to be -gasp- patient.

Sousuke relaxed slightly, "I'll kill Nnoitra if you want, but I thought it should be your honor to do so if you wish."

Gin offered up a twisted smile, "Thanks." If he couldn't get his own revenge, he was scared he'd go back to what he was, the naïve little scrap of a Shinigami relying on Sousuke to fight his battles. He didn't want that one bit.

Sousuke shook his head with an appreciative smile, "You're something special. You know that right?"

Gin forgot himself and beamed at the praise. Sousuke laughed.

"That's good to hear," Gin said.

"A little humanity?" Sousuke joked smiling.

"Yeah ain't enough 'round here."

"If you're finding it in me there must surely be a dearth," Sousuke said. Gin caught a darkness in his eyes at odds with the light words and smile.

"We both know tha's bullshit," Gin said Sotto Voce.

Sousuke's eyes widened slightly as though that actually surprised him. "I'm glad you're okay," he said softly.

"Yeah thanks for saving my sorry ass," Gin said sheepishly. Sousuke was being strange, but if he was in a heartfelt mood Gin was _more_ than happy to roll with it.

"My pleasure," Sousuke replied and again it came off as a joke but there was pain under it.

"You still haven't told me what's wrong," Gin prodded.

Sousuke sighed, "I'm just worried about you."

"Really, Ah'll be fine in a day or two. Just how fragile do you think Ah am?"

Sousuke smirked.

Just then an alarm went off.

"Oh shit don't tell me…"

"Sorry I've got to take care of this," Sousuke said his face a picture of disappointment.

He gave Gin a kiss and was gone.

* * *

' _Saved by the bell,'_ Kyouka said sounding tired.

' _Amen,'_ Aizen replied as he walked through the halls to fix whatever his minions had fucked up. What Gin had expected he couldn't do, not today with blood on his hand and memories echoing in his head. When he'd slaughtered C46, caught up in the bloodlust he'd been fine with doing whatever it took to achieve his goals even if it meant becoming a monster. He'd never wanted to be a monster in Gin's eyes though and his moon had seen enough of the monster in him that day without him getting rough for fun.

' _Just ask him, I'm sure he understands you did it for him,"_ Kyouka chided.

' _I don't want to hear the answer,'_ Aizen said honestly.

' _Oh Sousuke…'_ Kyouka said sorrow coated the word.

' _I'll ask just…not today.'_

' _Because you already know the answer pussy,"_ the voice cut in.

' _Yep, I'm a monster and that makes you Dr. Frankenstein,'_ he said lightly and was satisfied to feel the voice 'jump' in surprise.

* * *

Gin was still worried about how strange his lover had been acting so when Sousuke still wasn't back by midnight he sought out the familiar reiatsu. He was on the battlements what a shock, staring out into the desert with that trapped animal look again.

Gin stepped up onto the battlement wall and saw fear flash in Sousuke's eyes so quick he doubted anyone else would've noticed.

"What are you doing?" he asked condescending.

"An experiment," Gin replied. He dropped backwards off the wall and watched with a smile as Sousuke jumped after him, clearing the wall. Gin twisted around in midair flashing a smirk and wink at Sousuke. Sousuke glared at him and Gin grunted as he hit a soft kido net. Sousuke landed smoothly some forty feet below and dropped the net to let Gin fall to his feet a little ways away.

"Ya've got no faith in my abilities," Gin laughed, brushing the desert dust from his robes.

"I know that your reiatsu wouldn't let you walk away from that unscathed," Sousuke said.

"I didn't mean those abilities," Gin smirked. Sousuke turned, striding away and Gin's smile fell, this wasn't going as planned anymore.

"Aw don' be like that, c'mon I know you were thinking about it," Gin said rushing after him. Sousuke said nothing merely continued on his way cutting a forty-five degree angle from Las Noches into the desert.

Gin was quite happy with himself for having fulfilled Sousuke's need for reckless abandon and proved to himself that the desire to follow his lover anywhere wasn't a one-way street, but his confusion and curiosity grew steadily as he followed Sousuke through the desert his adrenaline slowly fading.

They must have covered at least five miles and Gin was wondering for the hundredth time why they didn't just flashstep when Sousuke stopped and sat on a stump of one of the weird crystal trees. Gin looked around half a dozen of the things had grown together twisted and intertwined in a beautiful way. It looked like a sculpture. A couple of the branches had fused into a flat surface reflecting the moonlight and Gin jumped onto it for a chair. He lost himself in the reflection and subtle blueish tint for a while before looking back at Sousuke.

"S' beautiful." He offered breathlessly. Sousuke looked up and gave him an obviously forced smile.

Minutes dragged on in silence and as usual Gin got bored.

"Why're we here?"

"I wanted to show you."

"Thanks," Gin said deeply pleased but still confused.

Sousuke looked away which immediately caught his attention, "I come here sometimes when…" he trailed off and gestured back at the wall.

Gin was stunned for multiple reasons, "Ah…god…Ah just did that cus' ya' seemed bored," 'bored' wouldn't sting his pride as much as 'panicked' or 'trapped'.

"Ah thought we could escape the monotony t'gether stead o' ya' holing up with experiments or whateva' else ya' might do." Gin explained. Sousuke actually winced at that and Gin realized how he must have taken.

"Ah didn't…"

Sousuke waved him off, "It's fine, I deserve it."

Gin looked around at his surroundings again taking in the meaning. Beauty a reminder that this world wasn't all darkness, stress and facades rigidly maintained. A reminder that something better existed, something worth fighting for, a reason to live. It meant that and more and for Sousuke to bring him here, to drop his guard even a little for the sake of making Gin more comfortable...

Sousuke rose, "Sorry this was stupid."

"Not at all," Gin said around the lump in his throat. "Thank you," he blinked back tears as he embraced Sousuke. His lover returned the gesture and held him like he was never going to let.

"Fair trade," Sousuke replied shrugging against him.

"I ain't goin' an'where," Gin choked out.

"Damn straight," Sousuke whispered into his ear.

"Ya' betta not be either."

"Can't, remember?" Sousuke broke the hugged with rueful smirk, "You're stuck with me."

Gin wiped his eyes quickly and smiled back though he knew there was a world of pain in it, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Gin can you answer something honestly?"

"'Course yer the one who's inept at that," he quipped though in truth he was stunned. In a hundred years the closest Sousuke'd ever come to pausing the game had been after Grand Fisher and in C46 and neither of those had been by choice.

Sousuke barked a harsh laugh, "Do you see a monster when you look at me?"

It was only long years of practice that kept his jaw from hanging open like an idiot. For one thing he knew Sousuke well enough to see that it had taken everything he had to keep the question casual. For another what the sheer fuck? What kind of a question was that. Still he knew that this was a situation where he should just answer now and delve it later.

"I've thought that you were a god, a whore, an ass, an idiot, a damn block of ice but never a monster. What the hell kind of question is that?"

Sousuke looked away and swallowed visibly.

It clicked as Sousuke opened his mouth to speak, "Neva'mind I got it. I've never been scared of you, I told you that. The voice is the monster." The beauty of this place he'd been trying to prove his humanity? The irony was almost painful.

Gratitude flooded Sousuke's expression, "Central Forty-Six?"

Gin smirked, "I thought _they_ thought you were a monster and 'cool Ah have a pet monster'."

He realized too late that was probably the wrong thing to say but Sousuke laughed, "Arrogance doesn't become you."

Gin frowned, "But I learned from the best."

"You're going to be insufferable now aren't you."

"Karma?"

As they returned to Las Noches he felt Sousuke's reiatsu flare subtly with every step and realized that he must done more damage in the jump than he'd let on. Despite Gin's lack of skill in kido Sousuke had made certain for reasons that'd become painfully apparent that he learn as much healing as he could. Which admittedly wasn't much, but he had _some_ ability. Shinsou snickered at that. He ignored the sword, touched Sousuke's leg without breaking stride and corrected the damage—a sprained ankle it seemed—his stunt had caused, taking pleasure in the immediate stabilization of the reiatsu.


End file.
